Sept. 26 was the last time the daytime high climbed above average. It was a balmy 78 degrees, three degrees above the norm of 75, the weather service said.

Oct. 16 saw a record low of 29 degrees, the first freeze of the season, said Chris Cuoco, a senior forecaster for the weather service.

A large trough carried low cloud cover, rainstorms and lower temperatures to the Grand Valley from the Pacific Northwest during the first part of the month, Cuoco said.

This week, however, building high pressure is expected to cause temperatures to rebound to above normal.

The reprieve from cold weather will be short-lived. Long-range forecasts call for freezing air to drop down from the Arctic Circle, possibly by early next week.

“Right now, the long-range models are showing a pretty strong and cold system diving down from the Bering Strait through Canada and down into our area,” Cuoco said. “That’s going to carry some very cold temperatures, especially along the Front Range and significantly colder here as well.”

Despite the cold, there’s still a couple more weeks left in the Grand Valley growing season, according to Susan Rose, horticulturist for the Tri-River Area Colorado State University Extension.

“We’ve had a couple of freezes, but for the most part it’s not been too bad,” Rose said. “As long as the temperature is hovering right around the edge of freezing, people can easily cover (their outdoor plants).”